Flow apron for threshers



ly 28, 1953 A. DION FLOW APRON FOR THRESHERS Filed Feb. 10, 1951 and Patented July 1953 FLOW APRON FOR THRESHERS Amedee Dion, Ste-Therese de Blainville, Quebec,

Canada, assignor to Dion Frercs Inc., Ste- Therese de Blainville, Quebec, Canada Application February 10, 1951, Serial No. 210,393

3 Claims.

The present invention pertains to a novel supporting structure for the flow apron of a thresher. Ordinarily this apron is pivotally suspended in the frame structure and is swung upward by the material that must flow beneath it.

A simple swinging movement of the apron is not entirely satisfactory, and I have found that better results are obtained if the apron can be lifted bodily as well as swung. The principal object of the invention is to provide a structure that permits such a compound movement. Another object is to provide a relatively simple and inexpensive construction for the purpose set forth.

In the accomplishment of these objects, the apron is suspended in the frame structure in a manner permitting both swinging and lifting thereof. Arms extend upwardly from the upper edge of the apron and have their ends secured to stub shafts journalled in the sides of the frame structure. From one of these shafts extends a lever, and a counterweight is adjustably mounted on the lever.

The weight of the apron is balanced by the counterweight, and thus presents little resistance to being raised bodily by the material flowing under the apron. At the same time, the apron takes the desired swinging movement by reason of its pivoted connection to the aforementioned arms.

The invention is fully disclosed by way of example in the following description and in the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of the device;

Figure 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a detail vertical cross section.

Reference to these views will now be made by use of like characters which are employed to designate corresponding parts throughout.

In Figures 1 and 2 is shown the frame structure I of a thresher. Across the top of the frame is secured an angle iron 2 from which is rigidly suspended a rearwardly sloping plate 3. The bottom of the plate is formed as a trough 4 from which is loosely an apron 5.

The upper edge of the apron carries a rotatable axle 6. To the ends of the axle are secured arms 1 which extend upwardly and forwardly when the apron is lowered, as in Figures 1 and 2. The upper ends of the arms are secured to stub shafts 8 journalled in bearings 9 on the sides of the frame structure. Levers ID are fixed to the stub shafts and one lever carries an adjustably mounted counterweight H.

In the use of the device, the weight H is adjusted to permit the apron 5 to lie in its lowermost position, as shown in Figure 2, with little resistance to being displaced by the movement of material through the thresher. The material moves to the left as shown by the arrow, and the movement swings the apron by its lower edge, according to the height of the flowing material indicated by the line I 2.

Although the swinging movement alone is provided in the prior art and is desirable, it is not entirely satisfactory that the apron be displaced by such movement alone. It has been found that a lifting movement in addition to the swinging movement provides a better self-adjustment of the apron and a smoother flow of the material. The flow of material herein also raises the aXle 6, as shown in dotted lines, aided by the counterweight I I through its carrying lever I0 and associated stub shaft 8 and arm 1.

Although a specific embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described, it will be understood that various alterations in the details of construction may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as indicated by the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a threshing machine, a body frame structure, a transverse supporting plate rigidly suspended therefrom, a trough formed at the lower edge of said plate, an apron loosely suspended from said trough, arms secured to the upper edge of said apron and extending angularly upwardly therefrom, stub shafts journalled in the sides of said structure and displaced vertically and horizontally from said apron, said shafts being rigidly secured to the upper ends of said arms, whereby said apron is movable about an outside center, a lever rigidly secured to one of said shafts, and a counterweight on said lever.

2. In a threshing machine, a body frame structure, a transverse supporting plate rigidly suspended therefrom, a trough formed at the lower edge of said plate, an apron loosely suspended from said trough, an axle journalled in the upper edge of said apron, arms secured rigidly to the ends of said axle, and extending angularly upwardly therefrom, stud shafts journalled in the sides of said structure and displaced vertically and horizontally from said apron, said shafts being rigidly secured to the upper ends of said arms, whereby said apron is movable about an outside center, a lever rigidly secured to one of said shafts, and a counterweight on said lever.

3. In a threshing machine, a body frame structure, a transverse supporting plate rigidly suspended therefrom, a trough formed at the lower edge of said plate, an apron loosely suspended from said trough, an axle journalled in the upper edge of said apron, arms secured rigidly to the ends of said axle, and extending angularly upwardly therefrom, stub shafts journalled in the sides of said structure and displaced vertically and horizontally from said apron, said shafts being rigidly secured to the upper ends of said arms, whereby said apron is movable about an outside center, a lever rigidly secured to one of said shafts, and a counterweight adjustably mounted on said lever.

ANIEDEE DION.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 339,174 Heebner Apr. 6, 1886 813,957 Eisenhardt Feb. 27, 1906 1,864,033 Wettlaufer June 21, 1932 

